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It was after school. The sky was a warm orange color that changed the school’s hue. The sounds of students laughing and talking echoed through the empty hallways. The council room was empty, it was just Yuki and Kakeru organizing the place before they went home. It was silent, but not awkward, just them tidying up the council room while somewhat enjoying the cozy atmosphere.
“Hey Yuki, do you see me anywhere in your future…?”
Kakeru suddenly asked, facing the floor, staring at some papers he held in his hand, with a neutral expression on his face, to Yuki, it felt different than how he usually acts.
Yuki responded.
“...What do you mean..?”
He glanced at Kakeru, leaned back on the front desk, still holding those papers.
Kakeru glanced at Yuki, his face still had a neutral expression, but he seemed a bit down.
“Like, do you see me being in your life after high school?”
That was kind of a deep question, he didn’t really know how to answer it.
He never really thought of that, would they still be friends after high school, what happens after they graduate, will they go on different paths? The thought of that made him a bit sad for some reason…
“I mean, yeah, probably…”
Yuki responded to the question, glancing at the floor with a numb expression.
Kakeru was glancing at the floor, but then glanced at Yuki with a soft smile, and said --
“If we do drift apart after high school, I’d miss you...”
He had a warm expression when he said that, it made Yuki feel, I don’t know, happy? A warm joyful feeling that he couldn’t quite explain. He stared at him with a dazed and kind of shocked face. His eyes were wide open and his cheeks felt a bit warm.
He turned his face away from him, his cheeks were a bright pink and he couldn’t quite explain what that was.
He softly muttered,
“...same...:”
What is this? His chest felt warm, and so did his face. His eyes were so teary he could cry, but this wasn’t sadness, at least, not entirely...This was different…
Then, Kakeru smiled and chuckled, eyes closed, smiling brightly, and his eyebrows were raised in a mellow way, he looked cheerful, almost relieved? Yuki didn’t know what it was, and why his smile and his laugh made him feel some kind of way he couldn’t explain, it made him feel warm, and like him -- relieved, for some reason.
Kakeru glanced at Yuki and gently smiled at him.
“Alright then, see you tomorrow, prez!” He said while wearing a bright expression and smile on his face. He placed the papers he was holding on the front desk, then walked out the door. Almost everyone left the school, so there wasn’t really any noise coming from the hallway.
“Bye...” Yuki muttered and waved awkwardly.
Kakeru was walking in the empty, orange-hued hallways. There was nobody else in the hallways, just him.
“..same…”
Yuki’s response to his question stayed in his head, he was happy that not only did he possibly see him in his life after graduation, but he also said that he would miss him too..?! That fact made Kakeru smile, he walked in the empty halls, gently smiling, with a feeling of happiness and relief because of Yuki’s answer. In the back of his mind, he already knew why this was so special to him and why he feels this way, but he doesn’t want to think too much of it right now, just enjoy this feeling of joy and comfort.
Yuki, on the other hand, was still in the council room, just standing there, still looking at the door that Kakeru left open for him. What is this? He’s never experienced this weird feeling, his face felt warm, and so did his chest and hands. He stood there, frozen.
“If we do drift apart after high school, I’d miss you...”
That moment kept replaying in his head, the same questions repeating in his head, what is this? Why do I feel like this? He didn’t get it, like, at all, and he’s probably still gonna think about when he got home...but...This feeling wasn’t terrible… It was a bit stressful? But at the same time, he felt happy, very happy, and relieved for some reason. He thought about the fact that Kakeru said he would miss him if they drifted apart, even that first question showed that he wanted to stay in his life after high school, and thinking about that, Yuki couldn’t help but smile...He didn’t know what this feeling was, but he somewhat liked it, liked what just happened, liked the thought of them still being friends after high school….
Friends….
I mean that’s what they are, but somehow, that word didn’t feel right? He decided not to think too much anymore, so he just left the council room and headed home.
The feeling of stress, happiness, and relief was still there when he arrived at Shigure's house, but he didn’t hate it… It was confusing, but also a bit nice… Somehow, after that conversation, the thought of his future seemed better, especially if they stay by each other’s side when school’s over.